The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1887-09-23

greater fayorite with him than myself.
Her quick s%ympathies seemed more fully
to enter into his sometimes strange WAYS
and increasing crotchetiness. Old bach
elors are apt to have singular notions, and
curiously enough, none seem to under
stand them as well as young married
women.
Although my uncle had been failing for
some time, the news of his death came at
last quite suddenly and unexpectedly. My
glief was sincere, but I must own tenn
pered with anxiety to know what he had
done for us. 1t was a weakness, no doubt,
despite my wife's high opinion of me. l
am not above acknowledging that l have a
few-a very few-of the weaknesses in
separable from humanity. When his will
was opened, it was found that he had
''cut up much more richly than was ex-
pected. Very considerable legacies were
left to relatives with whom he had not
been OF the most intimate terms. My
name came last on the list. Now for it,"
| mentally calculated. The lawyer was
terribly long coming to the point.
"To my f~avorite nephew, John Rutgers
fremont, I give and bequeath my oak
llb rary-writing table, with all its notes,
memoranda and contents, in hope that he,
when sitting before it, will find, as l have
often done, profitable inspiration. And l
charge him, by his regard for me, never to
part with said writing-table."
lis that all?' l cried, unable to conceal
my disappointment. mo further be-
quest?"
Nothing whatever, sir, only the table
and It's contents. The drawers were duly
sealed, and your legacy will be delivered
to you with HE seals unbroken," replied
the lawyer.
went sadly home, and told my wife of
our ill-luck.
Don't despair, DEAR" she said, 'there
may be something in those sealed drawers.
You know how eccentric he was. Don't
you remember our wedding present? ?"
''Uncle Robert was not the man to leave
money or valuable securities in an old
DESK | exclaimed petulantly.
Il wouldn't be too sure Of that, said
the dearest girl, " who had a quiet way of
sticking to a point and slightly unpleasant
habit OF too often remembering when she
was right and her lawful lord was wrong.
The next day the table was delivered,
and lay receipt therefor taken. 1t was a
solid, but battered affair, having a row of
drawers on each side of the hele for the
writer's legs, and a fiat top covered with a
much ink-splashed piece of green baize.
With the most careful scrutiny we
went through the contents. Nothing
but worthless old paper and memoranda
rewarded US.
perhaps there is a secret drawer, " sug-
gested my wife. l probed and pushed and
sounded and measured till l was firmly
convinced that no such receptacle existed.
II don't want the numbering old thing"
l cried. 81 shall call in d secondhand
dealer and sell it,"
"Oh, no, Jack, youmusn't do that. Re-
member how kind he was to US, and he ex-
pressly begged you never to part with it.
Now you really have not a comfortable
desk. If we have this vanished up it will
do splendidly for your den."
81 will not have a cent spent upon it,
and l won't use it,"
"At least, Jack, let me put a new cloth
on the top. can cut one to fit, and glue
it down at the edges, and put the old leath-
or back as neatly as can be"
understand me, Belle, not a cent, and
l won't use the blessed thing"
| passed a miserable evening. reviling
the general deceit of man, and the lack of
appreciation in uncles in particular. When
| went to my den the next day found the
table duly installed in the centre, and all
my papers neatly arranged OIL the top or
in the drawers. | think I said before that
the dearest girl" has a quiet but effective
method of getting her own way. did not
care to add to her disappointment (Which
l knew was as keen as mine, though she
bore it better by thwarting her so-plainlY
SHOWN WISH. AHu dlJSI All luc ldDle WIS
convenient. There was no denying that,
but l am afraid l did not voluntarily ac-
knowledge it.
Nearly three months had elapsed from
the time of receiving my legacy, when on
sitting down to it one morning l discover
ed several long Sits IN the cloth. I sum
moned my wife, and inquired who had
been there.
81 think Bobby was in here cutting out
a boat"
Bobby cuts out too many boats, and
cuts them in the wrong places. Be so
kind as to find that young gentleman and
send him to me-
'Now don't be too severe with him, Jack;
it's only a worthless bit of baize.that ought
to nave been replaced long ago"
''That boy is getting too destructive.
Oblige me by staying away while talk
to him. Your sympathetic looks destroy
the effect of my seedlings"
"Well, if you will only scold, l don't
mind"
''One would think l was a brute, Belle,
to hear you talk"
She went away, and in a few minutes
Master Bobby appeared, looking very